


Paul?

by TheSparrow93



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fill, Some angst, The whole gang is here, paul rovia deserves better 2k18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-07 23:00:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15918021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSparrow93/pseuds/TheSparrow93
Summary: “If ya don’t wanna get beat, don’t ask a damn ninja to spar.”





	Paul?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Syrabylene](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Syrabylene/gifts).



> Syrabylene you know I will always try to write anything you ask for! Maybe not very quickly these days but I try! 
> 
> I hope you like this one, I was writing when I noticed it was working with the prompts for the #PaulRoviaDeservesBetter2k18 challenge and I kinda tweaked it to work with it too. So, even if it deviated a tad from your prompt I hope you can still like it, since your fill is now also a chanllenge submission :D
> 
> All mistakes are my own like always
> 
> Prompt: The first time Daryl calls Jesus Paul. Like Jesus is sparring with someone and winning and the other is salty about it so team family close range around Jesus in a peaceful way and then Daryl just calls him Paul, defending him from the other's accusation. TF is all "what??" Because in a way Daryl just revealed that him and Paul are way closer than they thought... I love protective Daryl. Daryl tries to play it cool and fails

“So, pookie, have you thought about it enough?” Carol nudged Daryl drawing his eyes to her. 

He almost had to shake himself, he hadn’t realized just how zoned out he had been. It wasn’t often that everyone from the old group got to be together anymore. It had been Michonne that suggested they all make a trip to the Kingdom, to all be in the same ten-mile radius for the first time in months. 

It wasn’t a party, those were a very distant thing from the past, it was more like a reunion. Rick, Michonne, Judith, Tara, Rosita, Eugene, Aaron and Gabriel coming from Alexandria. While Daryl, Enid, Jesus and Maggie with little Hershel trekking from Hilltop. Carol and Jerry had been beaming when they met everyone at the gate. 

It was nice, peaceful and almost like how it used to be. Talk and banter came easy, as well as plans for new crops and finally getting a windmill up at the Sanctuary. It would be so easy to get comfortable if it weren’t for the ghosts that though unseen seemed to linger. 

Daryl could almost see Glenn’s arm wrapped around Maggie’s waist as she bounced Hershel. Sasha and Abraham could have easily been standing between Rosita and Eugene as Tara cracked a joke. Worst of all, it was like at any moment Carl would appear at his father's side and take Judith up onto his hip. Hell, if he tried he could fit Beth and Hershel in at Maggie’s side. Andrea and Tyresse would definitely be deep into whatever conversation Aaron and Gabe were having. 

That was part of their lives now, they were all just drifting through the holes left by those they lost. Daryl figured that was why the last time Carol had visited Hilltop she invited Daryl to come stay at the Kingdom. Daryl knew part of the reason Carol was so comfortable there, beside that damn theatrical king, was because nobody there knew all she had lost. It had been like a fresh start for her. 

When people saw her they just saw Carol, for the true badass she was. Daryl couldn’t help but think he caught glimpses of wheat blonde hair and freckles whenever he saw her. Just like he knew she saw a high and tight haircut and could almost hear Merle’s guttural laugh. 

He had thought about it, rolled it over in his head when he laid down on the couch in Jesus trailer that night after she left. It would be nice, maybe, to live at the Kingdom. It was very different from all the places he had live since the world went to shit. Those few days he had asylum there showed the Kingdom to not be too bad, plus Carol was there. 

Then Jesus had come back, sweeping into the trailer with happy conversation and a swing of bun-freed hair. Daryl hadn’t thought about leaving again after that. It was by Carol asking him to move, for him to try to find some peace that Daryl realized he had already found it. It was the Hilltop, helping with the crops or going hunting. It was afternoons watching Hershel as Maggie strategized, rocking Glenn’s son for hours. It was night spent talking with Jesus, talks that before he knew it had somehow turned to flirting. 

Flirting that the back woods part of his mind almost wanted to refuse, if it didn’t make the starved for positive attention side of him so freaking content. Jesus who was all warmth and kindness, actually seemed to be interested in someone as damaged as him. Daryl knew nothing at the Kingdom would make him feel as at ease as he did at Hilltop, as the colonies scout did. 

Hell, before she had snapped his attention to her Daryl had been full out staring at the damn man. Jesus had been with Jerry and Ezekiel when Dianne had approached him. Daryl wasn’t eavesdropping but heard her ask the man if he minded sparring with her, she was trying to improve her hand-to-hand skills. Jesus, being who he was, had agreed. So, Daryl had spent the last who knew how long watching them spar. 

Daryl could tell Jesus was going easy on her, pulling his punches and being deliberately slow. He was still outmatching her by a lot though. She even rolled her eyes when Jesus would give her suggestions, like how to properly be in stance or which strikes to use. Daryl was impressed by how fast Jesus dodged another punch when Carol had him tearing his eyes away. 

“Yeah,” Daryl stretched the back of his neck, catching the edge of his lip between his teeth for a moment, “Thanks fer the offer but I’m good.” 

“You’re good sleeping on a couch?” Carol questioned but Daryl could tell by the gleam in her eye she already knew the answer. 

Daryl shrugged, nudging her back, “It’s a pretty good couch.” 

Carol nodded with a hum, pressing her lips together to hide a smile, “Is it now?” 

Daryl just chewed his lips as his throat flushed and Carol leaned against his side, “Do you know why I decided to stay here?” 

“Ya really like Shakespeare?” Daryl chuckled when she pinched his arm. 

“Haha but no,” She tilted her head up to scrunch her nose at him, “Well, maybe but it was more like I felt like I had been saved here. Not just from my wounds but like I could be myself again. I know you hate cheesy stuff but I think Ezekiel saved me.” 

Daryl could see how much she meant every word, how much love she had for the king and all he could do was nod, “Ya saved his ass a time or two, too.” 

She smiled at that, “Isn’t that the truth.” 

Daryl let her loop her arm through his, resting his head on her. He really did miss her, missed having her and all her wisdom close by. She almost didn’t seem to mean to say it out loud as she breathed, “Jesus saved you, too.” 

Daryl could feel his neck going warmer, but almost jumped at a loud thud a few yards away. He and Carol turned back to see Jesus standing over Dianne, who was flat on her back and trying to sit up. 

“I am so, so sorry,” Jesus had meant to just tap her leg but she had tried to lunge toward him, putting her too close and he had accidently swept her feet out from under her, “Let me help you up.” 

Dianne was red face when she finally got sat up, slapping his hand away as she awkwardly got to her feet. She tried to brush the dirt off the back of her pants as she grumbled, “Think you’re so great, wow, you can knock women around, so impressive.” 

“Woah,” Jesus blinked and shook his head in disbelief, “You asked me to spar, not the other way around. What did you think was going to happen?” 

“I don’t know,” Dianne threw her hands up with a scowl, “To not get my ass kicked, or maybe you would go easy since it was supposed to be just for fun.” 

Daryl didn’t even remember standing up and untangling himself from Carol, much less closing the scant feet until he was nearly next to Jesus. It wasn’t until he noticed everyone was looking at Dianne and Jesus, seeming to equally edge into the tiff, that Daryl was aware of his own placement. Jesus wasn’t someone who needed protection but Daryl’s instincts always had him moving to do so. 

“If ya don’t wanna get beat, don’t ask a damn ninja to spar.” Daryl spoke when it seemed Jesus was at a loss for words. 

“He could have tried to be a little easy at least.” She glared at Jesus, the man still seeming gobsmacked by her words. 

“Ya really think he wasn’t?” Daryl had to suppress a snort, “And not many folks will pull their punches out there beyond these walls. Yer lucky Paul was, so stop belly aching and try to do better next time.” 

She seemed to deflate at the words, mutter an apology as Jerry suggested they go get some food and steered her away. Jesus turned to Daryl, a hint of a smirk on his face, “Thanks for the backup there, Dar.” 

Daryl rolled his eyes at the rhyme before it was like a bomb went off everyone was speaking at once. 

“Hold up, since when is it **_Paul_**?” Tara grinned. 

“ _Paul_ , huh?” Rick teased as Michonne crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow. 

“Is there something you need to share, _**Dar**_?” Rosita smirked. 

“I’m really happy for you guys.” Aaron beamed. 

“You two are too cute.” Carol winked. 

“C’mon, it’s his fuckin’ name.” Daryl tried to protest but no one was buying it. If anything his defense, along with his flushing face, just made it worst. 

“Didn’t you all know?” Jesus raised his voice to make everyone quiet down, Daryl raising an eyebrow as he watched the man’s smirk grow, “Daryl, has been madly in love with me since the first day we met.” 

Daryl could just throttle him; his face was on fire as his family erupted in laughter around them. Daryl knew that they all knew better than to believe that, even if it was maybe the very smallest, tiny bit true. Jesus didn’t know that though, or Daryl didn’t think he did, the ninja was always just a dramatic little shit. 

Daryl watched as Paul’s smirked slipped into a smile, the one that made his eyes crinkle and cheeks dimple even under his beard. Even as everyone was joking and cracking on him and going on about happy endings and shit. He could feel the love in it, it was all good-natured. They were all family, that meant some teasing but it also meant they would always be there for each other. That might be why it was so easy to reach out and grab Paul’s hand and pull the smaller man to him. 

“See, told you guys.” Paul lifted their joined hands like it was a trophy but Daryl was close enough to see the red filling his high cheek bones and feel the gentle tremble of his fingers. 

“Shut up, Paul.” Daryl leaned in to press his lips to Paul’s, to make him do just that. Maybe Daryl might also have just a little flair for the dramatic too.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment, I love talking to y'all!
> 
> Or come hit me up on tumble scramblingminds


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